Description

GABRIEL SOULACROIX (VILLENEUVE-SUR-LOT (DEP. LOIRE-ET-GARONNE), 11 DECEMBER, 1853 – PARIS, 16 AUGUST, 1905)

 

 

 

He studied singing at the conservatoires of Toulouse and Paris. He made his debut in 1878 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels in C. Gounod’s Mireille. After significant success in Brussels and the French provinces, he was engaged in 1885 by the Opéra-Comique in Paris, making his debut as Bellamy in A. Maillart’s Les dragons de Villars. During his time at the Opéra-Comique, he took part in several important premieres, including A. Messager’s La Basoche (30 May 1890), Bizet’s Pêcheurs de perles (1893), and the French premiere of G. Verdi’s Falstaff (1894).

In 1887, he became a hero when he saved the lives of many people during a fire at the Opéra-Comique. He remained with the Opéra-Comique until 1894, after which he primarily sang at the Théâtre Gaité Lyrique in Paris. However, he continued to guest at the Opéra-Comique, where he performed in the French premiere of G. Puccini’s La Bohème in 1898.

His career also extended to Covent Garden in London, where he performed from 1881 to 1904, singing roles such as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Escamillo in Carmen, and Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette by C. Gounod. In 1884, he took part in the English premiere of E. Reyer’s Sigurd at Covent Garden.

At the opera house of Monte Carlo, he participated in the premiere of I. de Lara’s opera Messaline alongside Francesco Tamagno and Meyriane Héglon. On 18 February 1902, he performed in the premiere of J. Massenet’s Le Jongleur de Notre Dame at the same house. Unfortunately, his promising career was cut short when he died quite suddenly at the height of his success.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Mireille (Gounod) Si les filles d’Arles 32699 995G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
2. Noces de Jeannette (Massé) Enfin me voilà 32879 1020G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
3. Noces de Jeannette (Masse) Enfin, me voila seul 0442 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1902
4. Noces de Jeannette (Massé) Margot, lève ton sabot 0440 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1902
5. Panurge (Planquette) Berceuse 33422 Odeon, Paris 1904
6. Pardon de Ploërmel (Meyerbeer) O puissante Magie 32674 1097G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
7. Pauvres fous (Tagliafico) D6043 Dutreih 1906
8. Philemon et Baucis (Meyerbeer) Relevez-vous (w. Leclerc) 36153 Odeon, Paris 1905
9. Quand l’oiseau chante (Tagliafico) 3727 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1902/1903
10. Richard Coeur de Lion (Grétry) O Richard o mon Roi D339 Disque Dutreih 1906
11. Richard, Coeur-de-Lion (Gretry) O Richard, o mon roi 33396 Odeon, Paris 1904
12. Rip-Rip (Planquette) Couplets de la paresse 3723 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1902/1903
13. Rip-Rip (Planquette) Couplets de la paresse 32855 997G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
14. Rip-Rip (Planquette) Couplets des enfants 3-32034 2836F G&T, Paris 1904
15. Rip-Rip (Planquette) Le rêve 32854 999G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
16. Rip-Rip (Planquette) Romance des enfants 32881 998G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
17. Si j’etais roi (Adam) Chanson a boire 33428 Odeon, Paris 1904
18. Timbre d’Argent (Saint-Saëns) Napolitaine 32676 1093G Berliner, Paris 1900-07
19. Traviata (Verdi) Lorsqu’a de folles amours 3695 Pathé cylinders & discs, Paris 1902/1903
20. Zauberflote (Mozart) Ton coeur m’attend (w. Leclerc) 36151 Odeon, Paris 1905